Vigil held for longtime Clover Park hoops coach Mel Ninnis, who is battling Stage 4 cancer

The setting sun lingered, brightly illuminating the small oval window second from the bottom at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma. In the window, an arm and hand returned the hundreds of waves from below.

“That looks like Alice,” one of the gathered said, referring to Mel Ninnis’ wife.

The hundreds that gathered on Tacoma’s hilltop were there from across the years – all in support of a favorite teacher and coach, Mel Ninnis. Over the last five weeks, Ninnis went from the sidelines of area basketball courts as the coach of the Clover Park Warriors to a hospital bed at St. Joseph while family and friends pray for a miracle.

Ninnis was diagnosed just over a month ago with Stage 4 bladder cancer.

“We found out June 10,” his son and fellow coach at Clover Park, Ryan Ninnis, said.

Ninnis had undergone a shoulder repair weeks before the diagnosis, but the cancer wasn’t found at that time. Weeks later, and late into the COVID-19 delayed basketball season, the coach’s back was bothering him.

“The cancer was all over his body,” Ryan said. “In his brain. In his back. It’s everywhere right now.”

Colleagues, former players and students, competitors and family organized and showed up on Monday evening in the parking lot across J Street from the hospital for a prayer vigil in support of their coach, teacher, friend and family member.

“Think about all the different classes that have come to support Mel,” said Jan Rasmussen, a 1986 Clover Park graduate and subsequent colleague at the school for the last two decades.

They began arriving some 45 minutes before the scheduled 7 p.m. start of the vigil. Most were decked out in the green and gold, and many that weren’t carried large signs or balloons in the school colors.

“We played in May,” Tahoma coach Rick Tripp said. “He was still having pain in his back, his L1. They checked and he had a tumor that had fractured the L1. They checked that and found all sorts of other stuff. It’s been pretty tough for a lot of people. He’s one of those flamboyant guys who’s touched a lot of people.”

Ninnis took over as the head coach at Clover Park in 1995. He amassed a 386-205 record through the 2020 season that includes 14 league and district titles, six state tournament appearances and the 2011 state title.

“I was lucky enough to work his only state title game,” said referee Mike Stephenson. “He’s one of the class acts.”

Ninnis was inducted into the Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in July 2017. Though retired from teaching, Ninnis still was on the sidelines with his son when basketball finally returned after Washington state began to reopen following the pandemic restrictions.

As this truncated season moved forward, Ryan said, his dad’s pain continued in the shoulder and back. The mid-June trip to the doctor finally gave some answers but also the difficult prognosis that Ninnis could have as little as three to four months.

“It’s been five weeks, and it’s amazing how much this has ravaged his body,” Ryan Ninnis said. “But there is some positive right now. We believe he is going to get out of here, get to spend some time at the beach house.”

As for the larger picture, prayers will continue.

“No one is promised tomorrow,” Ryan Ninnis said. “Something could happen in a few minutes. Or much later. We are believing for a miracle.”

As Ryan addressed the group gathered in the parking lot on Monday, he shared that sentiment.

“We feel your love and support,” Ryan said. “So, thank you.”

As for what happens next, Ryan Ninnis can look forward.

“I love these guys,” Ryan said, nodding to the group of current Clover Park players who had moments before greeted and hugged their interim head coach. “Teaching, coaching in some capacity, it’s what I feel called to do.”

This story was originally published July 20, 2021 at 9:02 AM.